The Sign Above The Door
by mypiratecat1
Summary: 2 Chapter story, post AWE. COMPLETE! WE! Elizabeth realizes just how much difference there is between her former life as the Governor's daughter, and her new life as a pirate aboard Jack's Pearl with her husband, Will, and their extended pirate family.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: **__They're not mine... but it's like borrowing toys!!!_

_**Author's Note: **This 2 chapter fiction was inspired by another Johnny Depp movie, "Chocolat". It was too long to post as a one shot, so it's a two shot! _

_And to me mate, DeppnBloom... loved yer idea for one of the characters... hope that ye don't mind that I used your idea, as it was a wonderful backstory! A big tip o' the tricorn to ye!_

_And for all of you who are not familiar with my Pirate world, Will has been released from his curse, and once in a while helps the new captain of the Dutchman, James Norrington, with his duties. The Turners have joined the crew of the Black Pearl..._

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"... I understand, Jack, but I would still like it if you came along with us. This is the last port that we stayed at before Father and I departed for Jamaica so that he could take his appointment as governor. It holds so many memories for me, and since Will is helping James on the Dutchman..." Elizabeth nearly pleaded with Jack, but she knew that he was right. It was too dangerous for him to disembark from the Pearl into Southampton, and even though it grieved him to not accompany her ashore, the captain would be in dangerous territory if he left the ship. The Pearl was moored in a hidden cove off of the rough English coast, and Joshamee Gibbs had procured the use of a small pony cart for the journey into the port. It would be Gibbs who would be responsible for looking after things upon this trip, much to Jack's chagrin.

Captain Jack Sparrow looked at Elizabeth with worried eyes. "I don't know why ye wanted us t' procure supplies in Southampton, of all places, when we easily had enough t' get us t' west coast of Eire, lass..." he frowned, "... I hope tha' ye know tha' ye are makin' it difficult t' keep me promise t' Will t' watch over ye whilst he was gone for two weeks... wot wif ye bein' in a family way, an' all..."

Jack's dark eyes scanned over Elizabeth's growing belly with vexation. It was enough for him to contemplate the fact that William and Elizabeth had concieved their child aboard his ship, but they fully planned to give birth to the babe in their snug cabin, also. Elizabeth reminded Jack that he, himself, had been born aboard a pirate ship, and he had conceded that this was true, thus he had no argument against it... but it still worried him.

He smiled a bit at Elizabeth's disappointment, as he knew that she wished to share her memories in going back to the last English port that she had seen as a child just prior to departing for the New World, but she knew that he was right in being reluctant. "Well, then, Mr. Gibbs and I will not be too long, Jack." She leaned back with her hands upon her hips, stretching... she was still two months away from delivering, but she was still spry and quick upon her feet... surely the child that she carried would be able to climb to the crow's nest as quickly as William could, and just as proudly. Elizabeth sighed, then gave thier best friend a quick hug.

As Elizabeth prepared to climb over the railing, Jack reached down and untied his famous compass from his belt. "Here, Izzy. I know that it is rather minimizing th' wondrous powers tha' me compass possesses, but use it... jus' thinks o' th' things tha' ye want to find th' most and th' quickest, and maybe it'll save you an' Gibbs some footwork, savvy?" he suggested, brightly. His golden teeth shone in the sun, as he took her hand and placed the compass within; he then took her other hand and placed it over the compass, covering her tiny hands with his tanned, slender ones. She looked up at him, puzzled... "Are you sure that you can't come along, Jack?"

His dark eyes met hers, and there was a strange look in them, as he said, quietly, "... no, Izzy. Southampton is no place fer th' likes o' me... fer more than one reason. Jus' try t' be quick... an' let Joshamee take care o' ye...don't try anything on yer own. Of us all, Josh will fit in the easiest, so let 'im look after ye... promise me." Elizabeth tried to read the look in Jack's eyes, and she simply smiled and said, "I promise, Jack."

Jack watched her and felt a strong pang of guilt, as she carefully climbed over the railing and down the solid, strong rigging... it would more than likely be one of the last excursions to shore for Elizabeth, as she would soon be confined to the ship with William and the rest of the crew to await the birth of her child. The captain wished that she would have chosen to stop anyplace but here, but it meant something to her... he looked down as the longboat with Elizabeth Turner and Joshamee Gibbs was lowered to the water, and nodded to Gibbs as he looked up at his captain, and patted Jack's prized pistol that was stuck into his belt, next to his own.

Southampton was a dangerous place for pirates, it was true, and Elizabeth understood this... but she felt the need to visit one more time.

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As the pair walked along the streets of the busy seaport, Elizabeth felt so many memories flood back to her. There was the very pier that the Dauntless had departed from, and there was the street along the waterfront that had so many of the shops and taverns that the sailors and civilians, alike, had frequented. There was the Royal Navy headquarters where she and her father had stayed prior to departure, and there was the large wide veranda where she was first introduced to Captain James Norrington.

Elizabeth smiled to herself... as things had turned out, James was now the captain of the Flying Dutchman, and her beloved husband was at sea, helping him to reconcile the records of the ship in its mission to ferry the souls of those lost at sea. It was a part of the agreement with Calypso to procure Will's early release to rejoin his wife and friends. In Elizabeth's mind, James' duty, now, was every bit as honorable, if not more so, than his career serving the King.

"... I remember this place, Mr. Gibbs!" she exclaimed, suddenly, as they stopped in their travels through the town. Elizabeth's face lit up brightly, and she pointed inside. "Father brought me here to buy sweets for me! Oh, they have the most wonderful candies!"

"I wouldn't know, lass, I was busy tryin' t' get the Dauntless ready to sail with you and your father aboard!" Gibbs grinned at Elizabeth's girlish enthusiasm, as she looked at all of the confections that were displayed in the windows. "Sailors don't get much of a chance t' visit such establishments..."

His grizzled face clouded over, as he looked in the doorway and saw something that Jack had warned him about. It would not necessarily apply to himself in the way that he was presently dressed...clean, with presentable garments in order to blend in, as it were... but with loyalty to his crewmates, he was hoping that Elizabeth would not wish to enter the shop. He was wrong...

"Please, Joshamee! Let's go in and see what they have!" she smiled, pulling his parcel-filled arms toward the door.

"Ummm, Miss Elizabeth, I think that we should really be takin' the supplies tha' we have back t' the ship... I don't think that it's a good idea t' take on more..."

"Oh, please, just humor me! It might be my last visit ashore before the baby comes!"

Joshamee looked at her seriously and finally sighed, "Look, Miss Elizabeth, I don't wish t' argue wi' ye, but I think tha' there is somethin' that needs t' be explained t' ye... let's go over here, an' sit down, darlin'..."

Elizabeth's hazel eyes filled with concern, as he guided her over to a bench next to a stone wall across from the sweets shop. She did not understand the look upon the quartermaster's face, as he sat down next to her, and took her small hands in his large ones.

"Look above th' door, lass..." As she searched Gibbs' sad face, she frowned. "What..." and her eyes followed his to a sign above the door, that said,

"_The presence of people of colour, gypsies, Irish and general riff raff will not be allowed past the door of this establishment." _Elizabeth's mouth dropped open... she suddenly understood exactly what Jack had meant.

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	2. Chapter 2

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Mr. Gibbs kept holding her hands, as he said, softly, "It isn't a friendly town t' th' likes of us, Miss Elizabeth. When ye left here as a wee lassie, ye were one o' the elite ones... one o' high birth an' good breeding. That sign has always been there, but ye never woulda noticed it had I not pointed it out t' ye. Ye would still be able t' visit there, yourself, but I couldn't bring meself t' accompany ye except t' watch over ye.'

"... ye see, if ye look around, how many do ye see on these streets tha' look like any o' th' crew o' th' Black Pearl... especially her captain?'

Elizabeth looked about her at the passersby. He was right. Jack, in all of his handsome, dark, beaded and flamboyant glory, would have stood out as plain as day... as would any crewman of the Pearl. She felt shame and anger begin to bubble up inside of her, as the differences between the two worlds that she had inhabited in her life suddenly collided violently in her mind. The world that she had left behind, the bigoted, high brow, confining and corseted world of the aristocracy... and the free spirited pirate world that she chose over it. How much it hurt to have it suddenly come into such contrast in front of her eyes. She placed her hands over her large, pregnant belly and felt her child move within... a child with pirate blood. She angrily thought about this blessed baby's family, by adoption...

Mr. Cotton... a fine man who had been a shopkeeper in the Caribbean until his town was raided by the natives who had been pushed off of their land. He was an innocent bystander who tried to defend his family, only to have them murdered in front of him, before his own tongue was cut out, and his home burned.

Marty... a native of Tortuga who would have been stared at and ridiculed in this port city simply because of his small stature.

Mr. Pintel... from the poorest area of London, who had taken in his nephew, Ragetti, when Ragetti's prostitute mother had died of tuberculosis... Mr. Pintel had promised his only sister that he would look after the lad, no matter what, and they had stuck together, ever since.

Mr. Gibbs... a lifelong sailor from Wales who had lost his dear wife during childbirth... his baby son had also died, and he drowned himself in drink after being drummed out of the Navy, lost in rum upon Tortuga until befriended by the daft Captain Jack Sparrow.

And Captain Jack Sparrow... the illigitimate son of a pirate captain and an Irish gypsy lass, surviving alone against the odds at the tender age of six, after his mother's death ... the dark gypsy skin that he was born with considered "of colour" by the upper classes. The sign above the sweet shop doorway held all strikes against him.

Elizabeth was stunned... all of her loved ones that she now cherished were considered "riff raff" by those who had borne her, Elizabeth Anne Swann Turner, daughter of Weatherby Swann, appointed by the King of England as the Governor of Jamaica. The governor's daughter, who chose to love and marry a humble blacksmith, and who had more family among her pirate friends than she ever had by blood.

As all of this sank in with her, Elizabeth's blood began to boil, and she looked sideways at Mr. Gibbs, whose eyebrows shot up. He had seen this look from the lass, before, and it did not bode well. Joshamee Gibbs wished like hell that Jack looked more normal than he did, and that he had accompanied them into town in order to "protect" this fiery lassie.

"Mr. Gibbs... we need to buy some sweets!" she exclaimed with a wicked, wicked smile.

۞

Jack helped the crew to haul the long boat up onto the deck of the Black Pearl, and helped Elizabeth out of the boat and onto the main deck, clearly relieved to see her and Mr. Gibbs return safely in the evening light. Elizabeth climbed nimbly down, only slightly holding her belly and smiling brightly at Mr. Ragetti as he gingerly patted her hand and fussed over her swollen feet... "Look there, Poppet! Now ye needs t' be sittin' down an' havin' a bit o' a bite t' eat... we had a fine stew fer supper an' ye be eatin' fer two, now! Wot would Mr. Will think?" he fussed, as Elizabeth laughed merrily at his attention. Jack looked at him, annoyed, as Mr. Pintel pulled a chair out for her to sit down upon. Ragetti scampered off to the galley for a hot bowl... he was taking Elizabeth's condition very seriously and was surprisingly helpful to her since Will had been gone to help James.

As the crew removed the various parcels from the long boat, Jack turned to Elizabeth and said, absently, "Soooo... did you an' Gibbs have a fine visit t' the city, then? Didja relives some fine moments from your childhood..." he looked so serious, that Elizabeth hesitated to speak. She decided to blunder forth with what was upon her mind since that afternoon...

"Jack... I understand, now..." she began, and he tilted his head a bit and leaned forward as if to listen more closely. She cleared her throat and continued. "I never really noticed just how ... different... things are, now. I saw a sign above a doorway, today..."

The captain smiled sadly and said, "Ahhhh... no Irish, no gypsies, no people o' any colour other than paper white...no human bein's..." his voice trailed off. "... now ye see why people of my ilk avoids such places, eh? Especially here in jolly ol' England, an' especially in th' strongholds o' the Navy...those such as meself are wanted by th' King fer hangin' ... an' _not _wanted by anyone else..." Jack's expressive hands waved in the air only slightly, and his dark eyes looked very sad in their honesty.

Elizabeth turned and stared at the captain for putting it so succinctly. Even after all of this time, he still could surprise her so. She was even more glad that she and Gibbs had done what they had done. She smiled and picked up a parcel that she, herself, had carried aboard, and was determined to change the mood.

"I brought you a present!" she exclaimed, "... something that I know that you like, and you will enjoy hearing how we procured it." She handed the parcel to the captain, who had pulled up a chair across the barrel from her, and looked at the package suspiciously. Elizabeth went on, "... we went into a sweet shop, and they had the most delectable of treats there! So many wondrous things!" She leaned forward, much as Jack did, and with a devilish look in her eyes, she pushed the parcel closer to him. "Now, keep in mind, there is enough here to share with the crew, and we must save some for William when he rejoins us in four days, but I especially wanted to get these for you..."

"Sweet shop? Izzy, ye were t' try t' provision th' ship as honestly as ye could in order t' keep down suspicion! We didn't send along enough money fer ye t' buy at a sweet shop!" Jack's face grew alarmed, as he quickly started to get up to take a look about with his spyglass, until Elizabeth grabbed his thin arm and made him sit back down. "It's alright, we didn't raise any suspicion!" Her face then grew serious, and she said, softly, "You never had any luxuries such as sweets when you were young, did you, Jack...nor are you welcome in a place such as that now, are you...?"

Jack's dark eyes looked into Elizabeth's for a moment, then down at the parcel. Such a simple thing as candies or sweets were well beyond the reach of most of those in his social class, and to steal something such as that would be so folly in it's danger that even he had not attempted it. As much as he loved sweets, he would not wish to be captured for them.

"Well! Mr. Gibbs and I came up with a plan... and we did not need the money that you gave to us for provisions. As we went into the shop, and I talked to the owner, I simply acted as though I was lightheaded with the heat! I told the shopkeeper that I wished to sit down for a moment, and as he helped the dear little expectant mother of obvious high social standing and good breeding to a chair, Mr. Gibbs picked his pocket!" Elizabeth grinned proudly.

"He WOT????" Jack's face broke into a gleeful smile, as he pictured Mr. Gibbs' beefy hands lightly lifting the shopowner's own purse from his person. Elizabeth clapped her hands together, as she giggled, "... and we 'bought' enough sweets for the entire crew with the shopkeeper's own money! And to think that he wouldn't allow 'riff raff' in his establishment!" she laughed.

Jack started to chuckle, as he said, "... I can't wait t' tell this one t' William, lass! 'Light Fingered Joshamee' an' his accomplice, 'Lyin' 'Lizabeth'!" The captain did something that he rarely did... he laughed out loud!

After they wiped away tears of mirth, Elizabeth once again pushed the package toward Jack, and urged him to open it... growing quiet again, she said to him, with feeling, "... these are for all of the times that you were denied little things such as sweets, Jack... simply because of narrowminded bigots... people of a social class that I denounce..."

Jack unwrapped the parcel slowly, as if to savor the surprise inside, even more... as he finally saw what was within, his face softened and softly inhaled... "Oooooh, Izzy! Chocolate truffles!!!! How did ye know..." And Elizabeth held up the compass, "I simply used it to find what I wanted the most at that moment... to know what Jack Sparrow's favorite sweet would be!"

Jack looked as though he had been presented with the most valuable diamonds and gold that anyone could offer to a pirate captain. He looked up at her with eyes as rich as the chocolate that he held in his hands, delicately picked up a sweet with his forefinger and thumb, and blissfully licked it. "Ahhhhh..." and as he bit into it with a great passion, he smirked at her, and said, around a mustacheful of very decadent chocolate,"..._Pirate_!..."

Elizabeth beamed with pride... a bit of quiet piracy for some small bit of justice in this cruel world... and as she watched Captain Jack Sparrow become completely oblivious to everything around him over a small package of chocolate truffles, she knew that she had better save back a piece for Will... and hide it!

THE END

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End file.
